Earlier this week, I was down in Colorado Springs at Housing Wire’s The Gathering - I heard a few things I believe are worth sharing. Here are my four key insights. 

Insight #1

I somehow ended up at a VIP breakfast with Steve Murray of Real Trends. I had never been in a room with Steve before, and...

This past week, I was at a real estate conference. I do not go for the breakout sessions because they are mostly a waste of time. Well, they are definitely a waste of my time.

I am exaggerating - but not much.

As Morgan Housel relates, 

• You can get rich lying to people who want to be lied to
• Y
...

Occasionally, my wife will send me an Instagram clip of someone talking on a podcast. You know those clips from podcasts or other interviews where someone is sharing something insightful or interesting. There are millions of these, and three to five of them get sent to me every week by my wife.

M...

This past Wednesday, I was flying from Kansas City to Spokane via Salt Lake City. For obvious reasons, I try hard never to take connecting flights, but this was my only option. When I booked the flight, I had an hour and 20-minute connection in Salt Lake City, which is reasonable. Also in my favor t...

“Needing” to sell a home...that’s a terrible feeling. When we need to sell a home, we are coming from a place of weakness. We are not free. We are not rooted and coming from a place of power.

When we need less, we are freer to hold to our standards.

Having high standards is good. Having low standa...

“Coffee is for closers only.” - from the 1992 film, Glengarry Glen Ross

The other memorable lines from that movie:

"A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Closing"

“Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired.”

And...

“The leads are weak.”

Ah...leads...

Over the last few week...

We talk from time to time about relationships. How do we do this business at a higher level—and a higher fee? My answer is twofold: “build better relationships” and, of course, be a better professional. Both pieces are important, yet we have all seen real estate agents who sell lots of homes who are...

The Background Story

My wife was working late this past Wednesday night. Her shift that day/night required her to be the last anesthesiologist to leave (big hospital with over 20 operating rooms). So she is working this almost-last-case, and it is well past 7 pm. There is a surgeon (let’s call him ...

Real Estate Is Too Simple

In an industry constantly chasing the next shiny marketing tool, social media strategy, or lead generation system, the foundation of real estate success remains shockingly simple: consistent human connection.

I'm not sure how this keeps evading people, but real estate is ...

This week, I was in New York City talking to a high-producing real estate agent (>$40mm). We were talking about “how hard it is” to charge a full fee under certain circumstances. It takes courage to charge a full fee.

Being Courageous is one of The Thirteen Virtues of Being a Trusted Advisor.

Cou...

Proving you’re a great agent is a rough go.

We work so hard to show people how great we are. If only they knew all the stuff we know, all the stuff we do, how much we care, etc. We also are doing this, sometimes, to prove to ourselves that we are worthy. It’s exhausting.

Actor Jason Bateman was o...